KentuckyFC writes: "The famous Drake equation calculates the number of advanced civilizations in our galaxy right now. But the result is hugely sensitive to the assumptions you make about factors such as the number of habitable planets that orbit a host star, how many of these actually develop life and what fraction of these go onto become intelligent etc. Disagreements about these figures leads to estimates for the number of advanced civilizations ranging from 10^-5 to 10^6. Now an astronomer in Scotland has worked out how to make the calculations more precise so that different theories about the origin of planets, life and civilizations can be comparedabstracts. His calculations say that the rare-life hypothesis predicts only 361 advanced civilizations in the Milky Way now. However, the so-called tortoise and hare hypothesis predicts 31573 and the theory of panspermia says that there ought to be 37964 extraterrestrial civilizations more advanced than our own in the Milky Way."

I am glad the author did not say intelligent civilizations as IMO it would not allow us to be counted. Just look who we have running for the President of the United States 2 Republican morons and 1 Democratic Moron. It is a wonder the world hasn't had a vote and asked the US to leave the planet.